This invention relates generally to an electronic problem reporting and resolution process, and more particularly, this invention relates to a method and system for reporting and resolving manufacturing conflicts across an extended enterprise via a network environment.
With the advent of the Internet and related technologies, complex networking systems have evolved that enable distant trading partners operating disparate computer systems to interact with one another. The Internet provides a ubiquitous message routing architecture that supports reliable inter-business connectivity around the world, based on common communication protocols and common standards for system interoperability. Further, the Internet and related intranet and extranet technologies offer a relatively low cost of entry, making them practical for use by large and small businesses alike. Web-based security issues have been minimized through the use of intranets that connect a business"" internal processes to the applications and data they need and extranets that connect external processes to the applications and data they need. Firewalls or security devices are added to protect against unauthorized access to the internal network and to isolate unauthorized Internet access from the extranet. With this new technology in place, existing trading barriers between trading partners can be removed, allowing for a synchronized flow of information.
A recent trend in electronics manufacturing involves contracting out some or all of the manufacturing of a company""s products to third party manufacturers which then build these products according to specification. This arrangement, known as outsourcing, results where the original manufacturer (called an Original Equipment Manufacturer, or OEM) buys assemblies in bulk from third-party contract manufacturers and then customizes them for a particular application. It then markets and sells the customized equipment under its own name. By outsourcing the manufacturing and assembly of these goods, established OEMs are able to focus on other business areas such as new product development and customer relationship management. Additionally, as product designs and components are becoming increasingly complex and frequently updated, a contract manufacturer with specialized skills may be better equipped to accommodate the changing technology. By outsourcing to meet peak demands, an OEM may be able to avoid having to build new facilities and/or hire new people.
An OEM who is outsourcing the manufacturing of its products needs to be able to collaborate with its contract manufacturers and suppliers before, during, and after the manufacturing cycle in order to achieve maximum efficiency of the production process. One area of collaboration is problem reporting and resolution. When defects in components or assemblies are discovered during any phase of a manufacturing cycle, there needs to be a system in place for notifying, tracking and correcting these defects as soon as possible. This is no easy task in an outsourcing environment where manufacturing processes take place virtually anywhere around the globe, often by multiple manufacturing enterprises for a given OEM. Older legacy systems currently used for problem reporting and analysis are no longer adequate in today""s global economy as its"" proprietary software and non-integratable hardware was designed for internal operations only. As more and more enterprises are choosing to outsource their manufacturing processes and take advantage of newly-developed networking technologies, there is a need to expand and refine the existing problem reporting and resolution processes in order to accommodate a secure, collaborative network environment.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a computer-based method and system for reporting and resolving manufacturing conflicts across an extended enterprise via a network environment. The system includes a manufacturing enterprise system comprising a host system operating a web server, an applications server, and a database manager; a data storage device in communication with the host system, and at least one terminal for accessing the host system. The manufacturing enterprise system runs on a network that is coupled to the Internet and is accessible to an outside enterprise or trading partner identified with having proper access permissions. The applications server executes a set of programs for managing the manufacturing enterprise system, including the problem reporting and resolution application of the present invention. Problems associated with the components, assemblies, or processes for a manufactured product including defective materials are inputted into the manufacturing enterprise system via the problem reporting and resolution application where analysis and corrective action measures are performed on the inputs.